THE 500 MOST INFLUENTIAL MUSLIMS - CESD

Women’s IssuesMALAYSIAanwar, zaynahAnwar is the founder and former executive director of Sisters in Islam, an organization committedto gender issues and increasing respect for women. She is also a journalist who has contributed tothe New Straits Times and the Star, the country’s two main newspapers, and has written a bookabout Islam in Malaysia.NEPALsiddiqui, muhammadi [new]Mohammadi Siddiqui is a pioneer female Muslim politician, a social worker, and a human rightsactivist. She established the Fatima Foundation in 2003 to ensure Muslim women’s rights on tworelated fronts: the personal daily struggle of women against discrimination, and the social andlegal practices that influence women’s independence and access to basic rights. The foundationorganizes Muslim women’s groups and works with religious scholars and women leaders toeducate women and raise awareness of their rights in order to advocate for the practice of ‘actual’Islamic law and ensure social justice for women. The foundation also publishes books and theQur’an in the local language; it also provides services to the victims of domestic violence.PAKISTANzafar, roshaneh [new]An economist by training, Roshaneh Zafar is a social entrepreneur and founder of the KashfFoundation, the third-largest microfinance institution in Pakistan, which specializes in offeringfinancial services to women and their families to facilitate their economic independence and selfreliance.The Kashf Foundation has disbursed over $200 million and has a national network of 152branches.PHILIPPINESbusran lao, yasmin [new]Yasmin Busran Lao is a prominent women’s activist and peace advocate who is currently runningas a senatorial candidate with the Liberal Party for the May 2010 election. The US governmentconferred the Ninoy Aquino Public Service Award on Busran Lao for her work in uplifting the plightof the marginalized. She has co-founded various women’s rights and development organizations.rasul, santanina tillah [new]The most recent Filipina Muslim woman elected to the Philippine Senate, former Senator SantaninaTillah Rasul is noted for her work toward gender equality, improved literacy, and Muslim affairsin the Philippines. She has exercised her influence in the senate to open up the Philippine MilitaryAcademy to women, among other initiatives aimed at women’s rights.SRI LANKAismail, jezima [new]The founder of the Muslim Women’s Research and Action Forum (MWRAF), Jezima Ismailhas been an educator for over three decades. She serves on various international committees onwomen’s rights and is the recipient of various awards in recognition of her work.EuropeAUSTRIAdirie, warisDirie is a Somali-Austrian women’s rights activist and former international supermodel. She wasappointed UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM),and founded several organizations, including the Waris Dirie Foundation, to raise awareness aboutFGM. Dirie underwent FGM as a child and seeks to build awareness around the fact that Islamdoes not require the practice. She is the author of several bestselling books.134